Photo: Great grandparents at their farm in Blandinsville, IL, with five of their six children .. my grandpa was yet a twinkle in grandma's eye. Stable boy and governess also pictured. Hodges farm, circa 1903-4

Monday, September 27, 2010

Free Advice

... given to my 20 year old daughter (over the past five years;)

Don't be in a big hurry to move out until:
  • College classes finished and no student debt
  • A paid-in-full used car
  • An emergency fund of $1,000
  • Know how to balance a checkbook
  • Only use a credit card if you have the money in the bank already ... and it can be paid off immediately ... better yet, don't have one.
  • Learn to cook using whole foods
Advice I gave my daughter before she should ever decide to get married:

  • Make sure you and your future spouse are equally yoked; both spiritually and philosophically.
  • While you are a DINK (double income no kids), live on one paycheck and bank the second, even if that means living in a mobile home or tiny apartment.
  • Stay home with your children while they are small.  Daycare is so expensive, and granny daycare (well, let's just say ... granny will be too old and worn out by then;).  They are only small once and the window of opportunity to shape their future is very slim.  If you have followed the DINK suggestion, then this one will be much easier.  You don't have to keep up with the Jones ... just a rambunctious toddler or two.

8 comments:

Rebecca said...

Oh, such good advice (although one wonders how long adult children might actually be living at home if they DID follow your advice). Maybe Probably you should write "advice" to your daughter about to enter her senior year in high school????

Mrs. Mac said...

LOL ... Rebecca. I really should change the age on this advice as she has already done most of the suggestions already from years of instruction at home ... by a stay at home mom ... I give her one to two more years at most :0)

Maria Stahl said...

Great, great advice.

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

What wonderful, loving advice. Bless your heart for teaching your daughter meaningful ways to live in this material world.

FlowerLady

Mr. H. said...

Yes, I liked and agreed them all and the last one was my favorite.

Ruth Trowbridge said...

You are an awesome mom - how lucky your family is - peace

MAYBELLINE said...

I do hope your twenty year old is smart enough to follow this advice. It certainly will my her life much easier and most likely more enjoyably fulfilling.

Chloe m said...

This is good advice! I am going to send my daughter this link! Thanks.
Rosey